Nail holder and starter



N0. 6I2,833. Patented Oct. 25, I898.

L. W. DEXTER. NAIL HULDEB AND STARTER.

(Application filed Oct. 23, 1897.)

(No Model.)

LWSDexZer; I

.UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD W. DEXTER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

NAIL HOLDER AND STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 612,833, dated October 25, 1898.

Application filed October 23,1897. Serial No. 656,185. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it 777/(1/Z/ concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD W. DEXTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San J os, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Nail Holder and Starter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a tool for carpenters use for holding and starting a nail in position,'which it is extremely difficult to do by hand.

The object of my invention is to furnish a tool of this class whereby the nail may be firmly held in the location in whichit is to be driven and without releasing this hold may be started into the wood by striking the outer end of the tool with a hammer or hatchet after the manner of a nail-punch.

With this objectin view my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my invention in position for practical operation. Fig. 2 is a View through the same, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference markthe same parts wherever they occur in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A is the main body of my improved nail starter and holder, which is constructed very much after the form of a nail-punch, being provided with a head B to receive the blows of the hammer or hatchet used in starting the nail. The forward end of the main body A, which for the purposes of this specification I have here inafter denominated a punch, is provided with a seat to receive the body 0 and head D of an ordinary nail when lying in a horizontal position, said scat being formed between jaws or fingers E and F, which project upwardly and laterally, the space between them being V-shaped and the bottom of said space forming the seat for the body 0 of the'nail.

The jaws E are at the extreme end of the punch and the jaws F located a slight distance from them between them and ashoulder G on the punch, the space between one end of the jaw F and the shoulder G extending slightly lower than the bottom of the seat for the nail-body and forming the seat for the nail-head D, as clearly shown.

Lugs 11 project upwardly from the punch a short distance from the shoulder G, and between said lugs an arm I is pivotally connected by a pin J. At the outer end of the arm I are formed jaws K, which extend laterally and downwardly and are arranged to pass between the jaws E and F. The space between the jaws K is of an inverted-V shape, and the jaws are normally held downward to clamp the body 0 of the nail in its seat by means of a spring L, secured to the upper side of the punch A by means of screws M and normally bearing upward against the under side of the long end of the arm I. The outer end of the spring is held in contact with the arm I, but permitted to slide thereon by means of a ring 0, which passes around the spring and arm, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is Well known that carpenters, cabinetmakers, and other woodworkers very often find it diflicult to get a nail started properly because of the narrowness of the place in which it is to be driven, and when such a difficulty exists the usefulness of my invention will be self-evident.

In order to start a nail properly in any place sufficiently large to receive this implement, it is only necessary to press downward upon the long end of the arm I against the action of the spring L and raise the jaws K out of the space between the jaws E and F. The nail may then be placed in its seat at the bottom of the space between the jaws E E and F F, when by releasing the outerend of the arm I that end of the arm will be forced upward by the spring L, which will throw the forward end, with the jaws K K, downward,

the jaws passing into the space between the jaws E E and F F of the punch and securely clamping the nail to hold it rigidly in position. By striking now against the head B of the punch the power of the blow will be transmitted to the nail, which will be driven in a direct line into the wood or other material in advance of the punch, and by continued blows the nail may be driven in until the forward edge of the jaws E come in contact with the material into which the nail is being driven, or nearly so, when the holder may be removed and the driving of the nail continued by any of the ordinary tools now in use.

Vhile I have illustrated and described what I believe to be the best means for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described, but hold that such slight changes and variations as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I. claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The nail holder and starter herein described, consisting of the punch or body, A, provided with lugs II and at its forward end with the jaws E E and F F, extending laterally and upwardly and having between them a seat for the nailb0dy, a seat for the head of the nail being formed between the jaws F and the main body of the punch, in combination with the arm I, pivoted at J between the lugs II and carrying at its forward end the jaws K K, extending downwardly and laterally and adapted to pass between the jaws E E and the jaws F F, and the spring L secured to the punch and bearing upwardly against the long end of the arm I to normally hold its forward end down in contact with the nail, substantially as described.

LEONARD IV. DEXTER.

\Vitnesses:

R. K. ONEIL, J. H. RUssELL. 

